Today, we’re diving into a significant announcement from Microsoft that will fundamentally change how Windows handles authentication. In this two-part series, we’ll explore Microsoft’s plan to phase out the NT LAN Manager protocol, better known as NTLM, and fully embrace Kerberos authentication in Windows 11. This isn’t just a minor technical adjustment‚Äîthis represents a major shift in how organizations will secure their Windows environments.
In Part 1 today, we’ll understand what NTLM is, why it’s been around for so long despite its security weaknesses, and explore the fundamental reasons Microsoft has decided it’s finally time to pull the plug.

